Stories
The women building North America, in their own words.
Stories, lessons and perspectives from women shaping commercial real estate development.
From Penny
New stories from Penny will appear here as they’re published.
From the archive
October 7, 2026
Ronita Coleman: Building for Future Generations
In Pontiac, Michigan, Casa del Rey is approaching its next chapter.
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September 2, 2026
Ellen Buckley: The Human-Centered Developer
Ellen Buckley has spent more than two decades mastering the machinery of real estate development.
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August 25, 2026
The Third Ascent: Belinda Watts on Building with Intention
Belinda Watts does not believe in waiting for permission: or precedent.
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August 18, 2026
Meghan Elliott: Rebuilding History
In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake didn't just shake Northern California; it redirected the trajectory of Meghan Elliott’s life. While most saw a catastrophe of crumbling mortar and twisted steel, a young Meghan saw the
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August 11, 2026
Marisol Chávez Valdés & Fabiola Alvarez Yurcisin
Industrial development is no longer a single-purpose equation.
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August 2, 2026
Shellan Rodriguez: The Pragmatic Changemaker
Shellan Rodriguez is building affordable housing with a clear-eyed understanding of what communities need and what real estate deals require to succeed. Her approach is practical, disciplined, and deeply rooted in the be
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July 26, 2026
Kaitlin McCarthy: From the Old Guard to the Vanguard
As the Founder and CEO of Ionic Development Company and the Co-founder of ARX PPE, Kaitlin McCarthy doesn't just "lean in." She stands up, buys in, and breaks ground. Whether she’s navigating the high-stakes financing of
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July 16, 2026
Kristan Ryan: The Powerhouse of Urban Infill
Urban infill gets talked about like a density equation. Kristin Ryan treats it like a community strategy.
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July 13, 2026
Fabiola Fleuranvil: The Community Builder
Give Fabiola Fleuranvil a mustard seed, and she’ll grow you a forest. Better yet, she’ll finance that forest, secure the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and ensure it serves the community for the next 200 years.
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July 1, 2026
Leslie Horn: The Architect of Innovation
The air in Detroit has always smelled like grit and progress, but for decades, the boardrooms of the city's real estate world smelled like stale cologne and mahogany. Leslie Horn, the CEO and Founder of Three Squared, In
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June 15, 2026
Carla Guerrera: Prosperity by Design
For too long, the "room" where real estate deals are forged has looked a certain way, talked a certain way, and: let’s be honest: smelled a bit too much like stale cologne and mahogany. But the landscape is shifting. Fro
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